James Arthur Carnahan, 85, formerly of Penn Run, PA, passed away peacefully at Brookdale Assisted Living, Monroe Square, in Monroe, NC after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Son of Arthur G & Mazzie M. Q. (Brown) Carnahan, he was born January 15, 1939, in Armstrong Township, Indiana County, PA.

Mr. Carnahan was a member of Heilwood Presbyterian Church, Heilwood, PA where he often sung in the choir. He lived most of his life in the Indiana County area. He graduated from Indiana Area Senior High School in 1957. He was a draftsman and engineer for several years. He later went to work for National Bank of the Commonwealth, the now First Commonwealth Bank in Indiana, PA as a maintenance supervisor.

In his early years, he served in the National Guard Reserves and was a volunteer fire fighter in Norvelt, PA. He enjoyed camping, golfing, bowling and dancing; sometimes on roller skates. After building a homestead for his family he moved on to canoeing, kayaking where he mastered the Eskimo roll, running, biking, hiking, & fishing. In 1983, he quit his job to fulfill his dream to be a thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail. It took him five months. He returned a changed man. He ran a marathon in Erie, PA. He and two of his brothers, Lee and Roger, raised and raced sled dogs for several years. No challenge was too big or too small.

No services are scheduled at this time.

He is survived by two daughters, Linda Thomas of Monroe, NC and Brenda (Darin) Stack of Marshville, NC; four brothers, Lee Carnahan and Scott Carnahan, of Homer Center, PA, Roger (Donna) Carnahan of Clymer, PA, Terry (Barb) Carnahan, of Brush Valley, PA; five grandchildren, Jennifer (Jesse) Shearer of Monroe, NC, Stephanie (Steve) Kucharczak of Clover, SC, Adam Thomas of Jefferson, GA, Shaun (Micaela) Stack of Marshville, NC, Bethany (Austin) Williams of Matthews, NC; and fourteen great grandchildren, all in the South.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Peggy Lou Murdick of Clymer, PA; grandson, Jeffrey Whitener of Monroe, NC.

Memorials may be made to The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, PO Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 or Heilwood Presbyterian Church, PO Box 9, Heilwood, PA 15745.

Holland Funeral Services of Monroe, NC is serving the family.